Handling mechanism for brick-molds.



G. J. KBRSCHER & E. H. FORSTER. HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BRICK MOLDS.

I APPLICATION FILED AUG.6, 1912. 1,125,557. Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

\ t WITNESSES JMNTUR.

G. J. KERSCHER & E. H. PORSTER. HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BRICK MOLDS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.5, 1912. 1, 125,557.

5 SHEETSSHEET 2.

Pate'hted Jan.19,1915.

G. J. KBRSOHBR & E. H. FORSTER. HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BRICK MOLDS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1912,

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

s sums-sum a.

G. J. KBRSCHER & E. H. FORSTER. HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BRICK MOLDS: APPLICATION FILED AUG,5,191Z.

1,125,557. Patented-Jan.19,1915.

5 SHBETSSHEET 4.

WITNESSES g2 liq ifNVE'NTUR.

G. J. KERSOHER & B. H. FORSIER. HANDLING MECHANISM FOR BRICK wows.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 5, 1912.

1,125,557. Patented Ja1L19,1915.

6 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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5 4 i. a :5 J 88 (I, k V

UNITED STATES PATENT GFFIC.

GEORGE J. KERSCHER AND ERLE H. FOBSTER, 0F TOLEDO, OHIO; SAID IGEWCEER ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE E. MYERS, OF TGLEDO, OHIO.

HANDLING MECHANISM; FOR BRICK-MO'LDS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 19, 1915.

Application filed August 5, 191's. -sem1n-.-113;43'2.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Gnonon J. Knnscnrn and EnLn H. Focsriza, citizens of the United States, and residents of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented a certain new and useful Handling Mechanism for Brick-Molds; and we do hereby declare the following to be full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appcrtains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw? ings, and to the characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention rclatesto-hriok mahing'machinery and particularly to machines for use in connccticn with soft-mud mold-filling machines for scraping the top surfaces of molds. inverting and dumping the same, and then delivering them from the machine preparatory to being sanded and returned to the mold-fillingmachine.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an improved machine of the character described, which is simple and cilicient in its operation and adapted to suecessively act upon the molds, as "they are delivered thereto from the filling machine, to scrape the top surfaces thereof, place them in pallet receiving positiom'invert the molds, and then raise them from the molded articles, after which the molds are delivered from the machine and the molded articles are moved on the pallets to carrying-away position.

A further objcctof the invention is the provision in combination with a'machine of this character of means which is automatically operable to knock the molds to loosen the molded'articles from the walls thereof preparatory to raising the molds from such articles, thus enhancing the practicability and commercial value of machines of this class.

A further object of the invention is the provision in combination with a mold filling machine and a machine for use in conjunction therewith for scraping, inverting and dumping the molds. of means to which the molds are automatically delivered upon being dumped or freed of the molded articles, and which is adapted to sind the molds and then to return them to thla fillingmachine preparatory to again being filled.

The invention 'is'fully described in the following specification, and while, in broader aspect, it isoapahle of" embodiment in numerous forms, a preferred embodiment thereof is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,--'

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the mold scraping, inverting, dumping and off-hearing unit oi the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof. Figs. 3 and 4 are crossscctions thereof on the lines iv, :0 and 3 y in Fig. -1. Fig. 5 is a plan of the several conncctcd units of the invention with only the forward evil portion of thc'inold-iilling unit shown. Fig. l; is a side elevation of the parts which right the molds after being dumped and then return them to the filling machine. a part only of the latter being shown. Fig. 7 is a detail of the mold moving carriage with parts broken away. Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail of the mold-end striking mechanism. 'Fig. 9 is an enlarged section of the mold off-hearing chain with the mold engaging finger attached thereto, and Fig. '10 is an enlarged detail of the mold scraping mechanism.

Referringto the drawings, A designatesa soft-mud or mold-filling machine; B the automatic mold reversing-dumping and olihearing machine; (I the machine to which the empty molds are delivered from the machine B and in which the sanding of the molds occurs, and D an inclined way down which the sanded molds pass by gravity to a mechanism E by which they are then delivered in filling position to the filling machine A.

The machine or unit A, which may be of any suitable construction, numerous forms of which are on=the market, is shown, in the present infianoe, its-having a crank-shaft 1 to which the customary tamping plunger, not shown, is attached and which carries a drive pulley This shaft is intended to make a single revolution at each cycle or mold-filling operation of the filling machine. The empty molds are successively inserted into the filling portion 3 of the machine, and upon being filled are automatically moved forward to tamping-p'ositionb any suitable meanspro'vided in this class c machines for such purposes, the rear mold pushi'n the preceding molds forward onto the t le 4. and then into trimming orscraping position onthe rear end of the'mn'chiae-imit B. ads

the construction of the machine A forms no part of the present invention and is well understood in the art a portion only of such machine is shown to illustrate the use of the other units in connection therewith.

The machine or unit B, in which the major features of our invention reside, embodies a rectangular frame 5, which is supported by legs 6 and has its side members or beams 5, 5 provided longitudinally on their inner sides with race-ways or grooves 5 in which the antifriction rollers of a mold moving carriage or member are mounted for reciprocatory movements longitudinally of the frame. This carriage or member is shown, in the present instance, as comprising a plurality of cross-bars 7, which carry rollers 7 at their ends for working in the respective race-ways 5", and are rigidly spaced apart by a pair of laterally spaced longitudinal bars 7, which are secured to the cross-bars in any suitable manner. The bars 7 are each provided at suitable intervals with pivoted mold moving fingers 7?, which normally stand in vertical positions and are adapted to have pivotal movements from a vertical in one di rection but not in the other, whereby upon a forward movement of the carriage such fingers will coact with the rear sides of registering molds a to move such molds forward with the carriage, and upon a rearward or return movement of the carriage will be tilted from vertical position by contact with the molds to permit them to pass thereunder to the rear sides thereof. It is therefore apparent that the carriage 7-7 serves to move the molds step by step toward the front or right-hand end of the machine, the molds sliding on the top sides of the frame beams 5" during such movements, and to pass back under the molds without moving the same and into position for the fingers 7 thereof to act against the rear sides of the respective molds tobe next moved thereby, as will be hereinafter more fully explained.

One of the cross-bars 7 of the mold mov-' ing carriage has its ends projected throu 'slots 8 in the frame sides and attached wit 1-.

out such sides to arms or standards 9, which rise from push-bars 10 that are mounted for horizontal reciprocatory movements at.

between the two shafts 1 and 14 being such that the shaft 14 will have a complete revolution for each revolution of the shaft 1.

It is thus evident that the mold moving carriage 7--7 has complete forward and rearward strokes for each revolution of the shaft.

The rear end of the frame 5 has an elevated table portion 5, and rising from the frame over this portion is an inverted U- shaped frame work 16 wl'uehr carries at the opposite end portions thereof the parallel longitudinally disposed shafts 19, 19 which a e connected by a pair of sprocket-chains 30 operating over equal sized sprocketwheels "21 thereon. The sprocket-chains .20 operate transversely of the frame 5, and have hanger-plates 22 depending from their nnder sides in registering relation longitudinally of the machine. The ends of a shaft 23 are pivotally .mounted in these plates, and such shaft has a scrapenplate 24- depending therefrom for operating over the top of a subjacent mold a to scrapeand level the top or exposed surfaces of the "1": molded brick therein. The sprocket-chains 20 have reciprocal movements intermittently imparted thereto, in the manner hereinafter described, so that the scraper will alternately move in opposite directions the full length of'a subjacent mold. The ends of the scraper-shaft '23 project without the hanger-plates 2'2 and are provided with rollers 25, which travel in race-ways or grooves on the inner sides of bars 26, which are attached to the frame 18, thus holding the scraper steady during the reciprocatory movements thereof.

In order that the scraper 24 may have scraping contact with a mold surface in only one direction of movement thereof, the ends of the scraper are notched to receive the inner edges of guide-flanges 27 when the scraper is moving across a. mold to scrape the same. The forward end of each flange 27 is provided with a hinged member 28 which normally hangs down by gravity in the inclined position shown in Figs. 3 and 10, so that when the notches of the scraper have passed beyond the ends of such members, said members will drop down and cause the lower edge of the NYC / scraper to ride over the tops of the'guideflanges 27 on its rearward or return -move-, inepgfree from contact with the top of the me Reciprocatory movements are communi cated to the sprocket chains 20, 20 from the reciprocatory movementsof one of the bars 10 by a.suitable intermediate gearing between a series 'of rack teeth 10 on such bar and one of the shafts 19. This gearing com prises a pinion 29 in mesh with the rack. teeth 10, said pinion being carried by a vertical shaft 30, which is journaled in suit 13!;

able bearings at one side of the frames 5 and lli and has connection with one of the shafts 19 through a set of bcvclgcars 31. It is thus evident that the scraper 2 1 makes a forward and a backward stroke at each revolution of the shaft 14', the gearing being so proportioned that the scraper will more entirely across a suhjacent mold at earh stroke.

The filled molds (L are successively moved onto the rear end of the frame 5 and beneath the path of movement of the scraper 24 by the pushing action of the succeeding molds, as above stated, and after being scraped are pushed from the elevated rear frame end 5 onto the lowered plane of the frame top as best shown in Fig. 1. At the next forward movement of the molds, the mold which'was previously moved from under the scraper 24 is moved. under a frame 33, which rises from the frame 5 and serves as a guide for facilitating the placing of the pallets 33 on the top or open sides of the molds, such movement being accomplished on the forward movement of the carriage 7---'T" by reason of the rear set of fingers 7 engaging the rear side of the mold. On the next forward stroke of the carriage 7--7 the second set of fingers 7 engages the rear side of the mold upon which the pallet has just been placed and moves such mold with the. pallet thereon into the registering receiving mouths or sockets of a plurality of mold inverting arms 54, which-are carried by and projected in opposite directions from a shaft 35 that is disposed in the path of movement of the molds over the frame top and has its ends journaled in suitable bearingslifi rising from the frame sides. The arms 34 have like mold receiving sockets at opposite sides of the shaft and. are intended to have a half revolution communicated thereto at each rear stroke of the push bars 10 so as to place the mold which was moved into the rearwardly projecting arms thereof in inverted position at the front side of the shaft and to place the oppositely projecting arms into mold receiving position.

Cash end of out its hearing with a wiper-member 37, which is in the form of a cross-arm with the two arm thereof projecting in opposite di-' the shaft 35 is provided withlipon the next forward movement of the carriage 7--T". after the inverting of a mold, the third set of fingers 7 thereof engages the rear side of the inverted mold and moves it together with the snbjacent pallet into mold dumping position beneath the frame 39. which frame rises from and extends transversely over the frame 5. Upon the next rearward movement of the carriage 'i'7" the vertically movable mold lifting plungers 4-0 are raised to lift the molds a from the brick or other articles I) disposed therein, the plungers 40 engaging the lower end edges of the molds without the ends of the pallets 33 for such purpose. The plungcrs 4-0, one of which is disposed at each side of the frame 5, have their guide rods ll mounted for vertical rcc iprocatory movements in guides 42 attached to the frame sides, and each of such rods has its lower ends in pin and slot connection with one arm of a lever 43', which extends longitudinally of the frame 5 and has its fulcrum in a hanger arm 44 depending from the adjacent side of such frame. The' forward arm of each lever 43 is disposed in the path of movement of a roller 45 which" is carried by an arm 46 projecting downwardly from the forward end portion of the associated push bar 10, and is so curved or shaped that. as the roller 45 moves thereon, upon each rearward stroke of the bar 10, the associated plunger 40 will be raised to lift the mold a predetermined height.

Each of the four front and rear end standards of the frame 39 has a slide-finger 47 attached thereto below the elevated plane of a mold, such fingers having their sliding movements in directions lon itudinally of the frame b and being norma ly held in inwardly projected positions relative to the frame 39 by wei hted levers 48, as shown in Figs. 1, 4 an 5. The slidefingers 47 which are disposed at the same side of the frame 39, are connected adjacent to their inner ends by a bar 49, which carries a plurality-of rollers 5,0 0 its inner side upon which the associated side edge of an elevated mold rests when being moved laterally from the machine. as hereinafter described. The lower inner end edges 011th fingers 47 are beveled or tapered so that the contact of the same.

25 catory movements of said push-bar.

50 in right/ed the upper side edges of a mold therewith when being raised will move such fingers and the associated b -19 and rolls 50 outward to permit a ra iag of the mold above As soon as a mold has been raised at-o'ic the rollers 50 they will be inori-=l inward under the side edges of the mold lg: the iiiiluencc of the weighted levers 4:9 or othe suitable means so that the mold will rest upon such rollers when the plungers 40 are loaered.

A shaft 51 is mounted in the upper por' tion of the fin-mic 39 at each end thereof, and these shafts earr sprockctavheels 52 which are connected by a s rocket chain 53.

A vertical shaft H, which is journaled in suitable bearings at one side-of the frame 5, has its upper end in driving connection with one of the sha 'ts 7-1 through a set of be eled-gears 57. and carries a pinion 56 engage an end of a mold and to move it therewith laterally of the machine when mov ng in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 9, and when moving in the opposite direction, or returning to mold en- 3 5 gaging position, is adapted to turn on its pivot to permit it to pass freely over a mold. The chain, 53 is so geared to the push-bar 10 that the mold delivering stroke of the finger 59 will be sullicicnt to move a mold from over the rollers and onto a track 60 at the mold delivering side of the machine. The outer end of the forward one of the rails of the track 60 is made shorter than the other so that when a mold has 45 been moved to the end of the short railthe forward edge thereof will first drop by gravity to cause a half turning of the mold when dropping into subjacent inclined guide members 61, which deliver the mold osition tothe sanding machine, as ,hereina ter more fully described. The chain-plate 58 is provided at its sides with rollers 62 which travel in the registering grooves of guide-bars 63 to hold such plate steady in its horizontal reciprocatory movement, as best shown in Figs. 1, .2 and 4.

- knocker-head 64 is carried above a mold when in dumping position by vertical rods 65, 65 which pass upward from the head through registering guides in the frame 39 and is held in suspended relation relative to a mold which has just passed Within the "frame 39 by catch-levers 66, one of which is ivoted to the upper portion of the frame ad acent to each rod and has its lower end bent t adapt it to project into a notch 67 in the associated rod, whereby to hold the rod in elevated position. The levers 66, (5b are pii'ctally connected at opposite sides of their fulcrums by a bar ()8, which causes the catch ends of such levers to have inward or outward inoiements in unison. The chain carries at one side thereof a pivoted finger (it which when the chain has started on its return stroke after delivering a mold from the machine, strikes the lower end of the adjacent catch-levers 6(3 and effects a movement of it together with its companion frun engagement with the respective notches GT in the rods (35, thus permitting the knocker-head (ii to drop by gravity upon the upturned brttom of a subjacent mold. The striking of a mold bottom by the knocker-head G4 is timed to take place as soon as the mold is raised slightly by the raising plungers so that any of the molded articles which adhere to the mold will be loosened thercfrcm and permitted to drop onto the subjacent pallet. The trip finger 69 is attached to a side of the lower por tion of the chain in a suitable manner to cause it to engage a registering portion of one of the levers 66 and trip such lever on a movement of the chain in one direction,

and to pass freely under such portion of the lever upon a movement of the chain in the other direction. It is also preferable to provide means for knocking the ends of the molds before entering the frame 39 to assist in loosening the molded articles from the walls of the mold. This is shown in the present instance as being accomplished by the provision of a pair of knocker-lex'ers 7 O, 70, which are pivoted to opposite sides of the frame 5, as at T1, 71, and have their upper ends disposed in position tostrike the .ends of a mold immediately after it is inverted by the arms 34. The lower ends of the levers 70 project below the respective side beams of the frame and are connected by rods 72 to iingers 73 projecting downward from a cross-bar 74 of the frame. The

levers 70 are adapted to have limited movements relative to the rods 72 and their lowerends are yieldingly pressed outward by springs 75 on said-rods, as best shown in Fig. '8. Each lever has a stud 76 projecting laterally from its lower end portion and working against the cam side of a disk 77, which is mounted on the associated end of a cross-shaft 78 that is journaled below the frame T e cam surfaces of the disks 77, 77 are such hat at each revolution of the shaft the u per end; of the hvers 70 will be retracted from the ends of a mold and will then he suddenly released to permit the upper ends of the leverarms to strike the ends of the mold, the striking action being impartedthereto by the springs 75. The shaft 78'has a sprocket Wheel 79 thereon what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

1. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a superposed part, a mold knocking member guided for movements by said part, catch means for suspending said member in devatcd position above the frame, and means operable tu trip such catch member at predetermined intervals to release the knocking member to permit it to drop by gravity upon a subjacent meld.

2. In a machine of the class described, a frame, a part rising therefrom, meld striking means guided for movements by said part, catch means for sazsneziding said strik ing means in elevated pumtsiqarelative to the frame, means operable to move an elevated mold from over the frame, and having a, part which acts to trip said catch means at predetermined intervals.

In testinmny \vhereof, we have hereunto signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE J. KERSCHER. ERLE H. FORSTER. Witnesses C. \V. OWEN,

E. Tnonms. 

